ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

On September 5, 2025, UNRCCA participated in an online session on youth as part of the OSCE Central Asian Heads of Mission regional conference in Tashkent.

The high-level meeting convened OSCE Heads of Missions, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of UNRCCA Kaha Imnadze, Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the OSCE Mari Neuvonen, and representatives from the EU Delegation, the Swiss Embassy, and the UN Country Team in Uzbekistan, including UNODC, UNDP, IOM, and other international partners.

In his address, SRSG Imnadze provided an overview of UNRCCA’s regional programmatic activities focused on youth across Central Asia, leveraging its unique regional mandate as a Special Political Mission. He emphasized the importance of the Preventive Diplomacy Academy (PDA), and its Alumni Network as a platform for youth engagement. SRSG Imnadze also proposed new partnerships to strengthen coordination to  avoid duplication efforts and optimize resources amid budgetary constraints, also building on ongoing dialogue between youth of Central Asia and Deputy Foreign Ministers, which UNRCCA facilitates during regular meetings.

The session featured discussions on key topics related to youth cooperation in Central Asia, including broadening youth outreach, overcoming engagement barriers, inclusive programming, enhanced coordination, and regional cooperation.

Representatives from the UNODC Regional Office for Central Asia (ROCA) and the OSCE Centre in Ashgabat highlighted their regular collaboration with UNRCCA, and reaffirmed their commitment to future participation in PDA training initiatives, reflecting growing momentum for joint youth-focused initiatives in the region.